*The details relative to the beginning of the first Cumberland Presbyterian church in Fort Worth were contributed by the minister who led in establishing this church, Rev. A. H. Stephens, now of Warrensburg, Mo.

In June, 1878, Rev. A. H. Stephens, a young Cumberland Presbyterian preacher not yet ordained, who had just graduated from Trinity University at Tehuacana, Texas, was employed by the St. Louis Observer, a new Cumberland Presbyterian paper, to canvas for the paper in the region around Fort Worth. Equipped with a good cow pony, a Bible, and an old fashioned hymn book, he started out with the purpose of preaching at night in the schoolhouses and canvassing for his paper during the day.

On a certain Saturday night he blew into Fort Worth, which was then a border town of about three thousand people, and on inquiring as to where he could stay all night, he was directed to a Mr. Daniels, who kept a boarding house. In the conversation which followed, he found out that Mr. and Mrs. Daniels were from Clarksville, Missouri, and were Cumberland Presbyterians. On finding out that his guest expected to be a preacher, Mr. Daniels said, "Well if you are to be a preacher, why not preach for us tomorrow?" The invitation was accepted, and a place secured for the service in a public hall on Houston Street.

Quite a little group of people, about one dozen in number, assembled for the Sunday morning service, among them Mr. W. T. Fakes, a Mr. Foster, a Mrs. Turner, a Mr. Buchanan and family, and Mr. and Mrs. Daniels. At the conclusion of the service Mr. Fakes, who was from Lebanon, Tennessee, Mr. Daniels, and some others asked if he could not preach again that night. He did, and there were about twenty-five people came.

After a hurried conference, the little group inquired whether the young preach could stay and preach for them all the time. He said he thought he could, that he "could stand it if they could." All seemed to be at a loss as to salary, but Mr. and Mrs. Daniels said, "We will give him his board." So the young preacher accepted the proposition, having in view to work the paper business during the week and make a little money so he could ride the street cars. Fort Worth then had a mule line from the court house to the Texas and Pacific depot, the T&P being the only railroad in Fort Worth at the time.

After worshiping for some time in the hall on Houston Street, the owner raised the rest, so the congregation decided to use a schoolhouse out in the southwest part of town, which would cost nothing. In this schoolhouse the church was organized with fifteen charter members.

Soon the congregation determined to undertake the work of building a new church. The young preacher went out among the cattle men where he had made many new friends, and secured donations of cattle, hogs, and other live stock. Others volunteered to bring in all the stock, and a few days later the motley herd of live stock--cattle, hogs, and sheep--were brought into town to be sold. Soon the entire lot was sold out, and fifteen hundred dollars was in the treasury of the little church.

A lot on the corner of Fifth and Taylor Streets was donated by a Mr. Buchanan, one of the members; others donated labor, and within a few weeks the little white church was completed. In the new church house the congregation grew. After eleven months spent in Fort Worth in this rather novel enterprise, the young preacher went to Lebanon, Tennessee, to continue his studies in the theological seminary. Soon the town began to grow, railroads were built, wealthy men came, and among them many Cumberland Presbyterians. Under the ministry to Dr. R. M. Tinnon, who became pastor in 1886, a new stone building was erected.

It was here, while Dr. Tinnon was pastor of this church, that Gam Sing Quah, who is now and has been for twenty-eight years superintendent of our mission work in South China, was converted. Thus has the influence of the little church, planted under such unusual circumstances, reached unto "the uttermost part of the earth."
[Source: History of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Texas: Centennial Volume. By Thomas H. Campbell. Nashville, Tenn.: Cumberland Presbyterian Publishing House, 1936, pages 122-125]

1890
Name of the Congregation: Fort Worth Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Clerk of the Session and Post-Office: N. Harding, Fort Worth, Tex.
Pastor: R. M. Tinnon, D.D.
Total Membership: 240
Red Oak Presbytery - Synod of Texas
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1890, page 250]

1891
Name of the Congregation: Fort Worth Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Clerk of the Session and Post-Office: W. S. Price, Fort Worth, Tex.
Pastor: R. M. Tinnon, D.D.
Total Membership: 443
Red Oak Presbytery - Synod of Texas
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1891, page 266]

1892
Name of the Congregation: Fort Worth Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Clerk of the Session and Post-Office: W. T. Fakes, Fort Worth, Tex.
Pastor: R. M. Tinnon, D.D.
Total Membership: 360
Red Oak Presbytery - Synod of Texas
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1892, page 280]

1893
Name of the Congregation: Fort Worth Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Clerk of the Session and Post-Office: J. C. Foster, Fort Worth, Texas
Pastor: A. B. Buchanan
Total Membership: 200
Red Oak Presbytery - Synod of Texas
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1893, page 278]

1894
Name of the Congregation: Fort Worth Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Clerk of the Session and Post-Office: W. T. Fokes [sic], Fort Worth, Texas
Pastor: A. B. Buchanan
Total Membership: 416
Red Oak Presbytery - Synod of Texas
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1894, page 290]

1895
Name of the Congregation: Fort Worth Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Clerk of the Session and Post-Office: W. T. Fakes, Fort Worth, Texas
Pastor: A. B. Buchanan
Total Membership: 450
Red Oak Presbytery - Synod of Texas
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1895, page 300]

1896
Name of the Congregation: Fort Worth Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Clerk of the Session and Post-Office: Seth W. Stewart, Fort Worth, Texas
Pastor: A. B. Buchanan
No. Communicants: 400
Red Oak Presbytery - Synod of Texas
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1896, page 266]

1896-1897
Taylor Street Cumberland Presbyterian Church - Ne cor W. 5th, Taylor, Rev. A. B. Buchanan, pastor; N. A. Cunningham, supt Sunday school. Services: 11 a.m., 8 p.m.; Sunday school 9:30 a.m.; Y.P.S. C.E. meeting, 7 p.m.; prayer meeting Wednesday 8 p.m.
[Source: Morrison & Fourmy's general directory of the City of Fort Worth, 1896 - 1897]

1896-1897
Y. P. S. C. E. of Taylor Street Cumberland Presbyterian Church - Organized 1887. Membership 65. Devotional meeting every Sunday 7 p.m.; business meeting 2d Tuesday of each month 8 p.m. W. V. Smith, prest; Mrs. F. Z. Gaither, secy.
[Source: Morrison & Fourmy's general directory of the City of Fort Worth, 1896 - 1897]

1897
Name of Church: Ft. Worth Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Clerk of the Session and Post-Office: Stewart, Seth. W., Ft. Worth, Texas
Minister: Buchanan, A. B.
No. Communicants: 350
Red Oak Presbytery - Synod of Texas
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1897, page 228]

1897
Congregations Represented: Fort Worth, J. E. Halsell
Red Oak Presbytery, September 2, 1897 at Waxahachie, Texas.
Ruling Elder J. E. Halsell, of Fort Worth congregation, was elected Moderator.
[Source: Minutes of the Red Oak Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, September 2, 1897, pages 3 & 4]

1898
Name of Church: Ft. Worth, First Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Clerk of the Session and Post-Office: Seth W. Stewart, Ft. Worth, Texas
Minister: A. B. Buchanan
No. Communicants: 500
Red Oak Presbytery - Synod of Texas
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1898, page 249]

1899
Name of Church: Forth [sic] Worth, First Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Clerk of the Session and Post-Office: Seth W. Stewart, Fort Worth, Texas
Minister: A. B. Buchanan
No. Communicants: 325
Red Oak Presbytery - Synod of Texas
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1899, page 142a]

1899-1900
Taylor Street Cumberland Presbyterian Church, ne cor W. 5th, Taylor, Rev. A. B. Buchanan, pastor.
[Source: Morrison & Fourmy's general directory of the City of Fort Worth, 1899 - 1900]

1900
Name of Church: Fort Worth, First Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Clerk of the Session and Post-Office: Seth W. Stewart, Fort Worth, Texas
Minister: A. B. Buchanan
No. Communicants: 307
Red Oak Presbytery - Synod of Texas
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1900, page 160a]

1901
Name of Church: Ft. Worth, First Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Clerk of the Session and Post Office: S. W. Stewart, Fort Worth, Tex.
Minister In Charge: A. B. Buchanan
Total No. of Members: 325
Red Oak Presbytery - Synod of Texas
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1901, page 187a]

1901-1902
Taylor Street Cumberland Presbyterian Church - Ne cor W. 5th Taylor. Rev. A. B. Buchanan, pastor. R. F. Butts, supt Sunday school. Services 11 a.m., 8 p.m. Sunday school, 9:30 a.m. Y. P. S. C. E., 7 p.m. Prayer meeting, Wednesday, 8 p.m.
[Source: Morrison & Fourmy's general directory of the City of Fort Worth, 1901 - 1902]

1901-1902
Woman's Auxiliary of Taylor Street C. P. Church - Organized 1892. Membership 35. Meet every Tuesday, 4 p.m., at the church. Mrs. R. F. Butts, prest; Mrs. Noah Harding, secy; Mrs. Alex. Simpson, treasr.
[Source: Morrison & Fourmy's general directory of the City of Fort Worth, 1901 - 1902]

1901-1902
Y. P. S. C. E. of Taylor Street C. P. Church - Organized 1887. Membership 60. Meet every Sunday, 7 p.m., at the church.
[Source: Morrison & Fourmy's general directory of the City of Fort Worth, 1901 - 1902]

1902
Name of Church: Ft. Worth, T. St. Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Clerk of the Session and Post Office: S. W. Stewart, Fort Worth, Tex.
Minister In Charge: A. B. Buchanan
Total No. of Members: 325
Red Oak Presbytery - Synod of Texas
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1902, page 176a]

1903
Name of Church: Fort Worth, T. St. Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Clerk of the Session and Post Office: S. W. Stewart, Fort Worth, Tex.
Minister In Charge: J. W. Caldwell
Total No. of Members: 280
Red Oak Presbytery - Synod of Texas
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1903, page 162a]

1904
Name of Church: Fort Worth, T. St. Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Clerk of the Session and Post Office: S. W. Stewart, Fort Worth, Tex.
Minister In Charge: J. W. Caldwell
Total No. of Members: 257
Fort Worth Presbytery - Synod of Texas
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1904, page 139a]

1905
Name of Church: Ft. Worth, T'lor St. Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Clerk of the Session and Post Office: R. B. Bishop, Fort Worth, Tex.
Minister In Charge: J. W. Caldwell
Total No. of Members: 300
Fort Worth Presbytery - Synod of Texas
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1905, page 116a]

1906
Name of Church: Ft. Worth T'lor St. Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Clerk of the Session and Post Office: R. B. Bishop, Fort Worth, Tex.
Minister Now In Charge: J. W. Caldwell
Total Number of Members: 340
Fort Worth Presbytery - Texas Synod
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1906, page 107a]

Ater the merger in 1907, this congregation became affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA) and today is First Presbyterian Church. The remaining Cumberland Presbyterian members reorganized a congregation on October 4, 1908, First Cumberland Presbyterian Church. In 1958 the name was changed to St Mark Cumberland Presbyterian Church.